Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 148 The peacemaker and the Houjin spies
Rectifying the generals of Liaodong was of great importance. Zhu Youjian was worried that someone would leak the secrets, so he asked low-level officials and servants to withdraw, leaving only a few records of daily life.

He also asked Luo Yangxing, the Jinyiwei Baihu who attended the meeting, and the Liaodong Guards Department Captain Luo Yangxing to inspect the area around Wuying Hall. Zhu Youjian told Sun Chengzong:

"When Sun Qing went to Liaodong to supervise the division, the first thing he did was to clean up the peace talks faction in Liaodong that supported the troops and respected themselves——"

"We can't let them support the bandits to respect themselves and continue to be in a stalemate with Houjin with the money from the court."

Thinking of Zu Dashou's repeated jumps between the Ming Dynasty and Hou Jin Dynasty, Zhu Youjian felt that this person must be connected with Hou Jin Dynasty, and maybe there was some secret agreement, and he said:
"There must be someone in Liaodong who cooperated with Yuan Chonghuan in sending monks to offer sacrifices and take the opportunity to negotiate peace, and they must have connections with Jianlu."

"Sun Qing wants to dig out this line and use it as a breakthrough to rectify the Liaodong generals."

The ministers became pale after hearing this, and finally understood why the emperor asked other officials to withdraw.

This is obviously a suspicion that there are spies in Liaodong, so the war in Liaodong continues to be stalemate.

Even Yuan Keli, who believed that Yuan Chonghuan had insulted the country and was out of plan, did not think of this and immediately said to the emperor:

"Your Majesty should not doubt ministers casually!"

"If word spreads, the situation in Liaodong will be critical!"

Zhu Youjian waved his hand and said:
"If someone is collaborating with the enemy, it is a good thing to be exposed."

"If no one collaborates with the enemy, Liaodong will not be in chaos because of my few words."

"But this matter is confidential after all. The officials who just heard it should not spread it."

"You should also know what happened to Marquis Wu Qing a few days ago. If the secret is leaked again, I will have no choice but to ask the Jin Yiwei Secrecy Department to follow you all the time."

Because of the leakage of the decision of the Standing Committee meeting, the emperor sent Jin Yiwei to interrogate the ministers attending the meeting in the name of the Department of Secrecy. Basically all the ministers present were asked. Thinking about that incident still makes me feel frightened.

Fortunately, the eunuch who leaked the news was found in the final palace, so they did not remain under suspicion. However, they still got to know the Jinyiwei Secrecy Department——

This yamen, second only to the Statistics Department in the Jinyiwei Beifang Intelligence Center, was revealed to Ming officials for the first time. In the future, as the Secrecy Department is improved, its power will gradually be revealed.

Declaring the matter confidential, Zhu Youjian warned officials not to leak the secret and not to mention it to people who did not attend the meeting. He also said to Zhang Daojun, the commander of Jin Yiwei and the envoy of Northeast Town, Zhang Daojun, who was summoned to the palace:

"The first thing you have to do when you go to Liaodong is to cut off the connection between Liaodong generals and Jianlu."

"Back then, Wei Liangqing was granted a title for his meritorious service by Ning Yuan because of the Wu Changchun case. Although this incident is absurd, it shows that Jianlu recruited and surrendered many Han people. Through their previous relationships, they were connected to many people in the Ming Dynasty——"

"It can even be said that Jianlu had an intelligence network in Ming Dynasty."

He was very sure about this. Zhu Youjian knew that Jianlu entered the customs several times later, and there must be many people cooperating with him, so he told Zhang Daojun:

"This intelligence network is probably run by Wu Changchun's father-in-law and traitor Li Yongfang."

"This thief once persuaded many people to rebel. Many cities in Liaodong were lost due to the cooperation of these people."

"Commander Zhang's father, Zhang Quan, was killed in Liaoyang because of this."

"We must investigate carefully when we arrive in Liaodong, and we must not let go of any suspicion."

"From now on, the opponent of the Northeastern Governor will be Li Yongfang."

Zhang Daojun was assigned a task, and he specifically pointed out that his father died because of this. Zhang Daojun's eyes turned red when he heard this, and he promised the emperor that he would find out the Houjin spy.

Mentioning Wu Changchun's case, Zhu Youjian said to Fang Guiwei and Yuan Keli:

"The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War must strengthen background checks on officials and not appoint anyone to official positions."

“All officials must have complete files and references who know them.”

"Start with the officials in the court and establish files when reviewing the eunuchs."

"In the future, officials whose files are unclear, who have made mistakes, or who are suspected will not be allowed to have access to secrets."

"Jinyiwei Statistics Department, Confidentiality Department, and Official Affairs Department are involved in file management."

Conveniently, he added responsibilities to the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War, and sent the Jinyi Guards in. Zhu Youjian said to Sun Chengzong:
"Leaving aside mid-level and low-level officers in Liaodong, all officers at battalion level and above must have complete files."

"Among these generals, according to their place of origin, no less than half are from the pass."

"The so-called defending Liao territory with Liao people cannot mean guarding Liao territory with Liao generals, and using Liao's wages to nourish Liaodong generals."

Sun Chengzong looked bitter and said: "Nowadays, most of the soldiers in Liaodong are Liao people. If they are not allowed to serve as generals above the rank of general, how can we encourage them to kill the enemy?"

Of course, Zhu Youjian was not suppressing military merit. Thinking of the round-war policy, he said:

"Rewards will be given when meritorious deeds are due, and generals will be transferred when due."

"Just don't let so many Liaodong generals stay here and transfer them to all parts of the country."

"There are only so many official positions in Liaodong, and it is easy for soldiers to perform meritorious service on the front line. How can we promote them without dispatching them to various parts of the country?"

"Talented generals from all over the country should also be transferred to Liaodong for training to enhance their actual combat capabilities."

"When they are transferred, they can select hundreds of local elite soldiers as personal soldiers to go to Liaodong to kill the enemy and perform meritorious service."

This is a method that should suppress the dissatisfaction of Liaodong soldiers and maintain the court's control.

Otherwise, if the current policy continues, within ten years, Liaodong generals will occupy most of the official positions in Liaodong, leaving no room for outside generals.

What the emperor said about "supporting Liao generals with Liao's pay" will become a reality by then.

That's not all. Zhu Youjian said to Zhang Daojun:
"Both generals and above must check their backgrounds to see if they have any contact with Jianlu."

"But unless there is definite evidence and approval from one of the three people including the Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong, the Admiral of Liaodong, and the Envoy of the Liaodong Guard, no arrest is allowed."

"Report those who are suspected and be transferred to posts outside Liaodong."

"Those below the rank of general can be arrested in the name of the Guards Department after obtaining approval from the military guards."

"Commander Zhang has to take on all the intelligence and law enforcement work in Northeast China."

Then he said to Sun Chengzong:

"Supervisor Sun, Zhang Daojun will be your subordinate from now on."

"If you have any information that needs to be investigated, you can hand it over to him and support his work."

"I will transfer a team of guards from the Security Department to be responsible for your safety."

This was an open and honest way of sending Jinyi guards to Sun Chengzong's side. These people naturally had the responsibility to monitor him.

Sun Chengzong felt bitter in his heart, but he knew that these people had a mission. If he objects to it, he just doesn't want to work well as the governor of Liaodong. Taking charge of Liaodong is not that easy.

Think about it, the emperor gave them official positions, instead of sending eunuchs to supervise the army and meddle in military affairs wantonly. Sun Chengzong reluctantly nodded and accepted Zhang Daojun as his subordinate——

After all, this person is a descendant of the loyal ministers who died in Liaodong, and he cannot treat him harshly.

Moreover, Liaodong was on the front line and it was impossible to completely cut off contact with Hou Jin. Without the witness of Jin Yiwei, it would be impossible to tell what happened. Sun Chengzong said:
"If it is Jianlu's suicide note, how should we respond?"

　"Records of Ming Xi Zong":
　　Xu Xianchun, the Fu Secretary of Beizhen, had a spy named Wu Changchun. He was the son-in-law of Li Yongfang in Changchun...

　　"Mu Zhai Beginner's Collection: The Journey of Sun Gong, the Grand Scholar of Jidian" written by Qian Qianyi:

　　(Ancestor Dashou) Therefore, Dashou was connected with the slave, and he was captured by Yin Ding, so he was sent to the slave camp by Dashou. Dashou sent him to the slave camp and stayed for half a year. He sent a letter from the slave to negotiate with Chonghuan for payment. The money has not yet been paid, but the silver will still be left in the longevity house.

　　When the slaves defeated Yongping, they sent three rebels to Dashouying holding a yellow flag and a big book with the word "Speak of Peace".

　　In order to invite him to live a long life, the communique said: "Listen to the general's punishment." And he secretly taught: "Destroy his flags and books, and burn them in front of the army. He just left them."

　　Dashou was afraid, so he immediately beheaded his envoy. The duke said: "My longevity is really of use to me."

　　"History of Ming Dynasty":
　　(Wang Zai Jin) In Jin Dynasty, he asked to build a heavy pass eight miles outside Shanhaiguan and guard it with 40,000 people. His assistants Yuan Chonghuan, Shen Qi, Sun Yuanhua and others tried hard to win, but they were recorded in the first assistant Ye Xianggao...

　　At that time, our Qing troops entered the Xuan Mansion. Governor Shen Qi and Zhongguan Wang Kun and others sent envoys to discuss peace. They offered gold, silk and wine, and the teacher Naixuan. I heard that the emperor was good at... arresting his subordinates.

　　"Manwen Old Documents" June of the sixth year of Tiancong:
　　On the first day of the first lunar month...I will march north to Chahar, chasing the eleventh day of the first lunar month...

　　On the 13th... he wrote to Ming to request the original reward and Chahar's property.

　　On the 14th... officials from Fort Desheng, including a member of Qianqian General and fifteen people, came to pay homage...

　　On the 28th, Shen Dutang and Dong Zongjun of Xuanfu were appointed as peace negotiators and agreed to make peace with Manchuria.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)